Ruhuna Royals crashed out of the SLPL with a 14-run loss to Wayamba United, after Dinesh Chandimal shook off a poor run of form with a 54-ball 75. The loss means Nagenahira Nagas will join the three teams already qualified for the semi finals, and Nagenahira's match tomorrow night against Uva Next will simply decide who will face top-placed Wayamba in the semis.

Chandimal played in Tamim Iqbal's slipstream in the opening overs, as Tamim supplied the start Wayamba had grown accustomed to when Kamran Akmal was still in the country. Tamim hit three sixes and two fours in his 36, and the pair took a particular liking to Wahab Riaz, whose second over disappeared for 19.

Chandimal was fortunate early in his knock, edging past the keeper twice, but grew more confident as the booming drives and thrashed cuts returned. Chandimal rarely attacked good length, but was quick to punish short deliveries as he regularly beat the sweeper on the on-side. He fell in the sixteenth over with his side eyeing a score in excess of 170, at 132 for 4, but three quick wickets and a terrific final over from Riaz allowed Wayamba merely a challenging total, rather than an intimidating one.

Aaron Finch and Daniel Harris began the chase at a canter, making 21 from the first two overs, but Ruhuna ran aground shortly after, as they lost six wickets for 34 in the next seven overs. Isuru Udana and Brad Hogg took one wicket apiece, while Abdul Razzak recovered from a poor first over to nab Chamara Silva and Mohammad Ashraful in his next two. Twenty-year-old medium pace bowler Chathuranga Kumara embellished an already striking SLPL campaign with a double strike in his first over, and a miserly four over spell, before Brad Hogg contributed four cheap overs of his own.

Lahiru Thirimanne remained not out on 40, having taken apart Akila Dananjaya, who collected his first poor figures of the tournament, but Ruhuna could not find a batsman who could stay with Thirimanne to make any meaningful charge on the target.

I was a bowler in my playing days and still enjoy good bowling over best batting....so I will go with a heavy bowling attack t20 side..1) Gayle, 2) Jayawardane, 3) Kalis, 4) Shakib-Al-Hasan, 5) MS Dhoni (C), 6) Pollard, 7) AB Morkel, 8) Styen, 9) Malinga, 10) Azmal, 11) Narine......I have two mystery spinner with an irritating conistent left armer..and if the pitch is assisting spin....Gayle can ball.....I have four genuine fast bowler (trust me kalis can be really fast if he wants) with pollard as a slow medium......you can beat my batting but not bowling......@MendiS_Forever....good one body....hahahahah

Auscricketfan
on August 27, 2012, 10:43 GMT

I may be an aussie but ihave loved following this SPL good preperations for the T20 world cup my best international team would be 1)C.Gayle 2)D.Warner 3)T.Iqbal 4)J.Kallis 5)M.Hussey 6)M.Dhoni(c&wk) 7)D.Bravo 8)S.Afridi 9)D.Steyn 10)L.Malinga 11)S.Narine :)

Vibhanu
on August 27, 2012, 8:31 GMT

Chandimal innings was a lucky one.Few edges found the boundry.Even Trever Bellis said that chandimal didn't find the middle of the bat most of the time and everything had gone his way.Also what happend to Dhananjaya.24 runs in a one over hit by number 10 th batsman.It's good to experience brave flight doesn't always do you a favour.He seemed over confident and that over will do him a lot in a good way in the future.

I was a bowler in my playing days and still enjoy good bowling over best batting....so I will go with a heavy bowling attack t20 side..1) Gayle, 2) Jayawardane, 3) Kalis, 4) Shakib-Al-Hasan, 5) MS Dhoni (C), 6) Pollard, 7) AB Morkel, 8) Styen, 9) Malinga, 10) Azmal, 11) Narine......I have two mystery spinner with an irritating conistent left armer..and if the pitch is assisting spin....Gayle can ball.....I have four genuine fast bowler (trust me kalis can be really fast if he wants) with pollard as a slow medium......you can beat my batting but not bowling......@MendiS_Forever....good one body....hahahahah

Auscricketfan
on August 27, 2012, 10:43 GMT

I may be an aussie but ihave loved following this SPL good preperations for the T20 world cup my best international team would be 1)C.Gayle 2)D.Warner 3)T.Iqbal 4)J.Kallis 5)M.Hussey 6)M.Dhoni(c&wk) 7)D.Bravo 8)S.Afridi 9)D.Steyn 10)L.Malinga 11)S.Narine :)

Vibhanu
on August 27, 2012, 8:31 GMT

Chandimal innings was a lucky one.Few edges found the boundry.Even Trever Bellis said that chandimal didn't find the middle of the bat most of the time and everything had gone his way.Also what happend to Dhananjaya.24 runs in a one over hit by number 10 th batsman.It's good to experience brave flight doesn't always do you a favour.He seemed over confident and that over will do him a lot in a good way in the future.

I wonder Chandimal opening with Dilshan in the WCT20 will be a good option !!!!! Experienced Sanga & Mahela can always handle the situation at no.3 & 4.....

Lakpj
on August 27, 2012, 5:51 GMT

I don't care who wins this SLPL, just want SL batsman and bowlers to come into form before the T20 WC. hope Kule and Sanga can get a game or too before the WC. on paper Wayamba should win this edition of SLPL and if all its Pak players available it is one team that can put up a really good show in the Champions League.

Chandimal answer his critics with bat.good inning. This will boost his confidence in WT20. He needs bat at the top order.

on August 27, 2012, 4:40 GMT

I want to name alternative team to play with the previosly named world clas team....1Shewag 2 Kallis 3 Kohli 4 KP 5 Mahela 6 Dhoni 7.Ashwin 8.Thisara 9.Narine 10.Malinga 11.Morne Morkel

on August 27, 2012, 4:23 GMT

To find the form in 20-20 format players need to bat at first 4.Thats what happened to Chandimal...I was suprise to see him always bating at number 5 when Mahela is captaining the side....Mahela should have given him the chance to play in top 3 from the biggining....Further I am surprising to see the benching of Young Kusal Janith perera when Milinda sisriwardane & kaushalya weearathne are plying in all matches.....Dear selectors and organisers .....wer is the man of the series of domestic 20-0 cricket...Andy Solamans...He has not given any match.....Further hardest hitters of the country Chinthaka Jayasinghe & Indika De saram has given only one match...and they were batted low down the order.. Suraj Randiv also in the bench in most of matches...This is shame..

Nice to see chandimal in form .he needs to play his natural game . Thirimanne did well too. Now as this tournament comes to end , we need SL batsmen to get back to form ahead of W T20 .

on August 26, 2012, 22:58 GMT

Tamim played some good shots today but I just hope he's not too over aggressive in World T20 because he needs to play almost the whole 20 overs considering he has the ability to play big shots and help Bangladesh somewhat.

on August 26, 2012, 20:53 GMT

finally SL 's nexy long time hero CHANDIMAL found his form ............................................ tnk god .

on August 26, 2012, 19:34 GMT

I want to see Tamim Iqbal and Chris Gayle opening for a team, followed by David Warner, AB De Villiers, Shahid Afridi and Kieren Pollard and the finishing would be done by Elton Chigumbura/Albie Morkel number 8 would be Shakib Al Hasan, followed by Saeed Azmal, Mohammad Ameer and Dale Steyn/Kemar Roach.

I want to see Tamim Iqbal and Chris Gayle opening for a team, followed by David Warner, AB De Villiers, Shahid Afridi and Kieren Pollard and the finishing would be done by Elton Chigumbura/Albie Morkel number 8 would be Shakib Al Hasan, followed by Saeed Azmal, Mohammad Ameer and Dale Steyn/Kemar Roach.

finally SL 's nexy long time hero CHANDIMAL found his form ............................................ tnk god .

on August 26, 2012, 22:58 GMT

Tamim played some good shots today but I just hope he's not too over aggressive in World T20 because he needs to play almost the whole 20 overs considering he has the ability to play big shots and help Bangladesh somewhat.

yohandf1984
on August 27, 2012, 3:25 GMT

Nice to see chandimal in form .he needs to play his natural game . Thirimanne did well too. Now as this tournament comes to end , we need SL batsmen to get back to form ahead of W T20 .

To find the form in 20-20 format players need to bat at first 4.Thats what happened to Chandimal...I was suprise to see him always bating at number 5 when Mahela is captaining the side....Mahela should have given him the chance to play in top 3 from the biggining....Further I am surprising to see the benching of Young Kusal Janith perera when Milinda sisriwardane & kaushalya weearathne are plying in all matches.....Dear selectors and organisers .....wer is the man of the series of domestic 20-0 cricket...Andy Solamans...He has not given any match.....Further hardest hitters of the country Chinthaka Jayasinghe & Indika De saram has given only one match...and they were batted low down the order.. Suraj Randiv also in the bench in most of matches...This is shame..

on August 27, 2012, 4:40 GMT

I want to name alternative team to play with the previosly named world clas team....1Shewag 2 Kallis 3 Kohli 4 KP 5 Mahela 6 Dhoni 7.Ashwin 8.Thisara 9.Narine 10.Malinga 11.Morne Morkel

amilag
on August 27, 2012, 5:12 GMT

Chandimal answer his critics with bat.good inning. This will boost his confidence in WT20. He needs bat at the top order.

I don't care who wins this SLPL, just want SL batsman and bowlers to come into form before the T20 WC. hope Kule and Sanga can get a game or too before the WC. on paper Wayamba should win this edition of SLPL and if all its Pak players available it is one team that can put up a really good show in the Champions League.